Ministries
Pontifical Missions
The Mission Office of the Diocese of Fort Worth, looks to educate and inspire people to take seriously their baptismal responsibility to be on mission in whatever context they live and work. The Office is at the service of the worldwide Church while remaining firmly rooted in the Diocese of Fort Worth. It also serves as the local representative for the Pontifical Mission Societies: The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, Missionary Childhood Association, The Society of Saint Peter the Apostle, and the Missionary Union of Priests and Religious.
The Pontifical Mission Societies were given the title “Pontifical” in 1922 and have special responsibility in the Universal Church. They are under the direct canonical jurisdiction of the Holy Father who, together with the entire body of Bishops, remind all the faithful of their baptismal call to mission through our prayers and financial support for more than 1,150 mission dioceses in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Pacific Islands and Latin America.
Pontifical Mission Societies
- The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, which seeks prayer and sacrifice for foreign missions to support pastoral programs, catechetical work, building churches, health care systems and schools;
- The Missionary Childhood Association, which enables youth to participate in the mission work of the Church through education, prayer and support, from children to children across the continents;
- The Society of St. Peter Apostle, which supports the education of candidates for the priesthood in the developing world and the formation of religious men and women in the mission dioceses; and
- The Missionary Union of Priests and Religious, which encourages and forms missionary awareness in all priests and religious men and women so that they cultivate the missionary spirit in their ministries.
"One Family in Mission"
The Office seeks to collaborate with clergy, parishes, schools, religious women and men and other agencies and departments of the Diocese. It seeks the cooperation of the faithful in promoting the mission of Christ through their prayer, sacrifices and financial support.
The Missionary Cooperation Plan is administered by the Mission Office. Through this program missionary dioceses, religious congregations and lay mission groups are assigned to parishes to speak at weekend Mass in the name of their organization. It is also a way to make parishioners aware of the missionary work of the Church that is going on throughout the world.
World Mission Sunday (the second to last Sunday in October) is the primary initiative of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and serves as an opportunity for the whole Catholic Church to celebrate their call to participate in God’s mission in the world. Every parish celebrates it so as to strengthen the international missionary call of all the faithful.
All the baptized have the responsibility to be on mission, even the young, and so the Missionary Childhood Association (MCA) was born! This is an organization made up of youths all over the world who pray, work and sacrifice for their brothers and sisters in faith, hence the motto, “Children Helping Children.” Here in the Diocese of Fort Worth, children have the opportunity to learn more about children in mission dioceses, to experience new forms of prayer and participate in supporting the efforts of MCA. Materials are available to assist in the classroom or ministry and we are available to help bring mission to life for the children of the Diocese.
Resources
- Pontifical Mission Societies-International Secretariats
- Pontifical Mission Societies
- Missio USA
- Bl. Pauline Jaricot: Heart of a Missionary
- Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
- Pray for Mission Vocations
Contacts:
Rev. Brijil Lawrence, SAC
Director of the Propagation of the Faith
Chairman of the Diocesan Mission Council
817-945-9362
The Diocese of Fort Worth is dedicated to a Safe Environment. We offer extensive and mandatory training for all employees and volunteers. Please contact the Safe Environment office if you need assistance or to report an abuse or concern.
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